Fire Safety

Every on-campus residence hall is fully equipped with fire alarm and suppression systems. There are fire extinguishers located on every floor/wing of the building. Each on-campus apartment contains a fire extinguisher and CO2 detector. The University conducts fire drills every semester in conjunction with the Monmouth University Police Department and the campus fire safety official. Every room has an emergency evacuation route on the back of the door. Our fire alarm system is also tested by an outside agency every year. Below are the fire evacuation routes for each on-campus residence hall.

Reporting Emergencies on Campus

For assistance in a medical or safety emergency, dial ext. 4444 from a University phone or pre-program 732-571-4444 into a cellular phone.

When the Monmouth University Police dispatcher answers:

Identify yourself and the specific location of the emergency. Say what occurred. Be concise and factual.

Describe any known or suspected injuries.

Identify help that is needed immediately.

Stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells you it's okay to hang up.

Stay in your same location, if safe to do so, and identify yourself to responding authorities.

Residence Hall Evacuation Plan

What should I do if a fire breaks out?

Close the door to the fire area.

Activate the nearest fire alarm.

Calmly but quickly exit the building.

Remain at least 100 feet from the building.

Pay close attention to information or requests made by the fire department, Monmouth University Police Department, or Residential Life and Housing staff.

What should I do if I hear the fire alarm?

Feel your room door with the back of your hand from top to bottom. If it is not hot, do the following:

Put on a coat and shoes.

Take a hat or comparable head protection in the winter.

Take your keys.

Close and lock your room door.

Walk quietly and in single file to the nearest exit of the building.

Remain at least 100 feet from the building.

Pay close attention to instructions from the fire department, Monmouth University Police Department, and Residential Life Staff.

If your door is hot, do the following:

DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR. KEEP YOUR DOOR CLOSED.

Go to the window, open it, and call for help. DO NOT JUMP.

Stay near the window where you can be seen.

What should I do if I have a disability?

Notify the Residential Life staff immediately to inform them of the situation.

If you are not on the ground floor, do not use the elevators. Plan in advance with your floor mates to help you down the stairs in the event of a fire.

If it is not safe to leave your room because the fire is on your floor, you should go to the nearest window and call for help. Stay close to the window where you can be seen.

What should I do if I am a sound sleeper or am hearing or visually impaired?

If you are a sound sleeper or have a medical condition that may hinder you from hearing the fire alarm, it is your responsibility to make arrangements with a floor mate to ensure that you evacuate the building when the alarm sounds. If you have a medical condition that hinders your ability to respond to the alarm, temporary or otherwise, it is your responsibility to visit the Health Services Center or the Office of Disability Services for Students for advice and assistance regarding special accommodations.

Failure to evacuate the building when the fire alarm is activated endangers your life and the life of rescue workers. Anyone who fails to evacuate the building during a fire alarm will be fined $100 and may be subject to further disciplinary action.

What happens if I activate the fire alarm?

Tampering with fire safety equipment and/or causing/contributing to false fire alarms will not be tolerated. Anyone found responsible for these violations will be subject to dismissal from the University and will be held liable under New Jersey state law.

In addition, each resident is responsible for being familiar with the location of exits, fire extinguishers, and alarm pull stations. On the back of each residence hall room door, there is a floor plan indicating the nearest emergency exit. Residential Life staff will be happy to provide additional information or assistance in this area.

In order to respond to any emergency or crisis properly, advance planning on your part is essential. If an emergency such as a pandemic occurs, the University may have to evacuate for some period of time. Be sure to think through your personal emergency plan to address the following issues:

If you live on or near campus and had to evacuate to your permanent residence, what are your primary travel plans? What is your contingency plan if you are unable to travel to your permanent residence?

If you plan to travel by air or rail, you should have travel agency or airline reservation information handy. Prepare ahead of time by reviewing the Monmouth University Emergency Management brochure in the event of a campus evacuation and to learn how the University will assist with your safe evacuation from campus.

Plan at least one alternate route if you will be driving.

If you will be picked up by someone, keep their contact information readily available.

If you cannot get home, is there a friend or loved one who lives nearby who would agree to let you stay during a campus closure (for what could be an extended stay)?

The Office of Residential Life attempts to compile a list of students who do not have a way of evacuating campus in the event of an emergency. Throughout the school year, we will update this list to ensure we can plan to assist as many students as possible.

If you live in a University-owned or -sponsored housing, speak with your RA or Area Coordinator regarding the procedure for an evacuation.

Will the University be able to reach you once you have evacuated?

The University may need to rely on phone and internet communications to remain in touch with you during a pandemic or other campus emergency. Please make sure your contact information is up to date. If you have changed your cellphone number or emergency contact information, please contact the Office of Residential Life at 732-571-3465 or reslife@monmouth.edu.

Do you have an emergency kit?

When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air, and warmth. Experts recommend at least a two-week supply of non-perishable items, so that you do not need to go to the store very often.

University Sponsored Off-Campus Housing Evacuation Plan

In the event of an emergency requiring the complete evacuation of Pier Village, the University Bluffs or the Monmouth University campus, students residing at Pier Village, and the University Bluffs should abide by the following procedures:

The decision to evacuate Pier Village will be made by the management staff operating those facilities in conjunction with the Residential Life staff. The University will decide about the evacuation of the University Bluffs. The decision to evacuate the University would be made by the University President or his/her designee in consultation with chair of the Crisis Management Team, and in conjunction with the Borough of West Long Branch, Office of Emergency Management. In the absence of the University President, the following chain of succession will be utilized: the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Administrative Services, and the Vice President of Student and Community Services.

Due to the inability of students to walk to the Student Center, it is imperative for those students without transportation to have a pre-arranged ride to utilize in an evacuation.

If pre-arranged rides cannot be obtained, the student should immediately contact the University Police to determine evacuation arrangements at 732-571-4444.

At all times, students residing at Pier Village or the University Bluffs should be following the direction of the management staff of those facilities, Residential Life staff, and/or emergency personnel in the area. The residents of Pier Village or University Bluffs will be directed to one of the following locations:

a specific, designated location, off campus. This could be a school, military base, or regional evacuation center. In the event of an evacuation, the University Police Department will advise the campus community where to evacuate to, and will make every attempt to distribute maps and/or directions prior to any evacuation beginning.

Based on the type of situation presented, it may be necessary to provide the general direction to a safe area. These directions would most likely direct individuals to reach a secure area by traveling north, south, or west.

In the event of an evacuation, the University population would be notified as to the appropriate action through one or more of the following means:

University Emergency Hotline: 732-263-5900

University E-Mail

University Radio: WMCX 88.9 (FM)

Police Vehicle P.A. Systems and Megaphones

University Web Page

On-site Personnel

Blackboard Connect Notification System

Understanding that circumstances that require a full campus evacuation are difficult to define at this time, it is hard to estimate what evacuation routes may be available and/or effective. The University, in making this plan, would make it a priority to route individuals through main thoroughfares, which should be monitored by state, county, and local emergency personnel. You might also consider alternate routes if you are familiar with the area. Once off campus, members might also be directed by outside law enforcement to a different route. At this point you would be obligated to follow their directions.

Those without access to transportation are encouraged to establish a personal contact/buddy system in order to assist in evacuating the campus. You should establish a pre-arranged location to meet.

In the event that students are unable to evacuate the building/complex due to the type of emergency taking place, they should follow the direction of the Residential Life staff or the management staff.

It is very difficult to predict everything that might happen under such circumstances. The important thing is to remain calm and follow the directions of law enforcement, emergency personnel, and key campus personnel.

Monmouth University Emergency Management

This manual is a handy reference guide to emergency management at Monmouth University. It is being distributed by the Monmouth University Crisis Management Team and the Monmouth University Police Department. It has been written in coordination with the West Long Branch Office of Emergency Management.